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April 01, 2016

WASHINGTON, March 31, 2016 — The American Bar Association Section of International Law will convene its Spring Meeting in New York City from April 12–15 with scores of programs, and luncheon events featuring U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Stephen Breyer and former U.S. Ambassador to El Salvador Mari Carmen Aponte.

Breyer,who joined the high court in August 1994, will engage in a conversation with Ron Cass, dean emeritus of Boston University School of Law, at 12:45 p.m. on Thursday, April 14. Breyer’s recent book, “The Court and the World: American Law and the New Global Realities,” examines the work of the high court in an increasingly interconnected world. He will have a book signing afterward.

Aponte will deliver the luncheon address at 12:45 p.m. on Friday, April 15. The former ambassador is now special advisor in the State Department’s Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs. Previously, she worked as an attorney and consultant at a consulting firm in Washington, D.C. From 2001-2004, Aponte was the executive director of the Puerto Rican Federal Affairs Administration. She also practiced law for nearly 20 years.

Other notable programs include:

“The Role of Mediation in Resolving U.S. Claims Against Cuba.” — Experts will look at how the resolution of U.S. claims against Cuba is critical to the normalization process. There are now about 9,000 certified claims, with an estimated value of $8 billion and three court judgments with a present value or more than $3 billion. Cuba is asserting claims against the U.S. for damages from the U.S. embargo, which it values at $157 billion in addition to assets frozen in U.S. banks, estimated at $270 million.
Wednesday, 4:30 – 6 p.m.

“My Journey at the Nuclear Brink.” — A dialogue with former Secretary of Defense William Perry, whose extensive career includes serving as under secretary of defense, deputy secretary of defense and secretary of defense. He will provide an insider’s view of critical moments in modern history, such as the arms race with the Soviet Union, ending the Cold War and negotiating with North Korea. He recently penned a book on the subject.
Thursday, 4:30 – 6 p.m.

“Syria Refugees: What Are the Economic and Social Consequences to the States Granting Asylum to Those Displaced?” — This session looks at the impact of the civil war in Syria with an estimated 9 million Syrians fleeing their homes since the civil war began in March 2011, primarily taking refuge in neighboring countries and the European Union nations. Panelists include Ninette Kelley, U.N. high commissioner for Refugees, and Conrad Robert Tribble, deputy assistant secretary in the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs at the U.S. Department of State.
Thursday, 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

“The Islamic State and International Terrorism: The Architecture of Response.” — From the rise of the Islamic State to the Russian invasion of the Ukraine, the international legal order is confronting new existential threats which strike at the foundation of the modern nation state. The panel explores how the international legal order successfully addresses the question of transnational violence, non-state actors and the rise of the Islamic State.
Friday, 2:30 – 4 p.m.

There is no charge for media covering this event but pre-registration is necessary. To register, please contact Bill Choyke at 202-662-1864 or bill.choyke@americanbar.org.

Founded in 1933, SIL is a leader in the development of policy in the international arena, the promotion of the rule of law and the education of international law practitioners. It is the only ABA entity that focuses on the full range of international legal issues and is involved in a wide variety of substantive legal activities.

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